Creating postscript or eps files – Adobe InDesign CC 2015 User Manual
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Printing
Last updated 6/6/2015
Creating PostScript or EPS files
As an alternative to printing a document to a printer, you can save a PostScript-language description of the document
as a .PS file for printing on remote printers—for example, by a prepress service provider. A service provider can send a
.PS file directly to the imagesetter. The size of a PostScript file is usually larger than the original InDesign document,
because the graphics and fonts are embedded.
You can also export a document page or spread to an EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file and place it in other
applications.
Choosing the right method for creating a PostScript file
You can save your InDesign document or book in any of three types of PostScript files: device-independent, device-
dependent, or device- and driver-dependent.
The following tables list recommended printer drivers and output methods for achieving the best results with post-
processing applications and InDesign. If your document will be processed by an OPI server, or by an imposition,
trapping, or other prepress application before it is printed by a RIP, choose PostScript® File in the Printer menu in the
InDesign Print dialog box. That way, InDesign has complete control over the DSC output. For desktop printing, use
any supported PostScript printer driver.
The tables use asterisks to indicate the relative suitability of each method for prepress work:
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The PostScript file is fully DSC-compliant, and very suitable for use with a wide variety of post-processing
applications, RIPs, and workflows. This method is the best all-round choice for applications that rely on DSC.
**
The PostScript file is largely DSC-compliant, and generally suitable for use with a wide variety of post-processing
applications, RIPs, and workflows. Some compatibility issues may exist for certain types of applications that rely heavily
on DSC.
A printer driver isn’t used when the printer selection is “PostScript® File.”
Printer selection: PostScript® File
Operating system
PPD
Prepress suitability
All platforms
Device-independent
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Device-dependent
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